Rewriting a Tragedy
by sine ulla animi
Summary: If he was the protagonist in a tragedy, she was the promise of something better that kept him going. Kaneki wasn't worried when he began hearing Rize in his head, after all, he had Harry in his head for years. What worried him, was that when Rize starting speaking, Harry disappeared. [fem!Harry]
1. Chapter 1

Title: Rewriting a Tragedy

Rating: T (will undoubtedly become M later on)

Warnings: Abuse(and like everything else in Tokyo Ghoul)

Chapter 1: How It Began

The first time Kaneki heard her voice, had been the first time that his mother had hit him. He remembered it clear as day, and perhaps he always would.

His mother had been sick again, from overworking herself as she often did. His mother did not listen to Kaneki's pleas for her to get rest and Kaneki had grown angry. He had accused her of being selfish, accused her of not caring about him.

Two things happened that day, that Kaneki would never forget. The first being that he had learned to never openly oppose his mother's ideology. The second, was something that would follow him into his formative years and be a building block in the tragedy that was Ken Kaneki. For it had also been the day that the seeds of his resentment towards his mother had been planted.

The first time he heard her voice in his head, she had only said one thing. She had whispered,

" **Mother is the name of God in the lips and hearts of little children, William Makepeace Thackeray.** "

For some reason, he had found comfort in those words, confusing as they were to a child. Reflecting upon that moment, Kaneki would admit that he found comfort in those words because they reminded him of his father. Or at least, he believed that it was something his father could have said. Kaneki knew only one thing about his father, one thing that was an indisputable fact. And that was, that his father had a love of literature. It wasn't a stretch to assume that his father often quoted random works of literature, or, so he liked to pretend.

The second time he had heard her voice had also been when he was subjected to his mother's anger. But the second incident had been far more unbelievable than the first.

He remembered his flesh stinging after each strike and he remembered apologizing profusely through his sobbing. He remembered her voice in his head repeatedly telling him to stop apologizing, and as his mother's anger seemed to rise, _her_ voice began to hiss.

" **Enough!"**

Kaneki's head was thrown back, and he felt as though something deep inside him snapped and a strong force seemed to push out from within him. This alien force pushed out from his small form and forced his mother away from him, causing the woman to stagger back a good five feet.

"I..I didn't. It was _her._ " Kaneki insisted, upon seeing the fear in his mother's eyes.

x

And then, the therapy and medication had started.

On his first appointment, Kaneki was introduced to a white coat. Her name was Akiyama Hikari, and she was kind. Truly kind, Kaneki had quickly decided, not like his mother whose kindness extended only to others.

She had diagnosed him with Psychosis, and indicated that he may be at risk of developing Schizophrenia later on in life. She had explained that childhood trauma, death of a parent, and being bullied or abused increased the risk of psychosis, and she had a sinking suspicion that all those factors were at play. He had been prescribed some atypical antipsychotics, and his mother had been warned that he had to be closely monitored when taking the medication due to his young age.

However, due to their financial situation, it was hard for his mother to supply the medication that he _needed_. And as such, he found himself being subjected to beating far more regularly than before. _Because he was being selfish._

x

Kaneki had been in his father's study after another day when he had discovered something particularly strange. He had been inspecting the bruises that had begun to form on his arm. They had started to turn an ugly purple colour and he had been poking at them. Wincing when he realized that they were still tender, he fell back against his father's table.

How he wished this nightmare would end.

As he thought that, his arm began to tingle. And when his eyes trailed down his arm, he could see his bruised flesh returning to its normal pale colour. Dragging his fingers down his arm where the bruises had been, he couldn't even feel a tinge of pain.

" **I apologize for the trouble I have caused you."** She had said in his head, " **Would you like me to leave?"**

"No!" He had shouted, before he could help himself.

He didn't really want her to leave. She did make the pain go away, and he supposed she didn't mean to land him in this situation. He would have found himself in the situation eventually, with or without her interferences. Most of all, she tried to protect him, and nobody else had ever done that. So, he supposed he could bear the beatings if he could keep a friend.

"Don't leave. Just don't...do it again." He ordered, feeling somewhat foolish speaking to himself alone in a room.

" **As you wish."**

And she remained true to her word. For through all his appointments and prescriptions, through all the beatings and verbal lashings, Harry remained a constant.

x

When Hide had first asked Kaneki to be his friend, Kaneki had been reluctant. He had long ago convinced himself that he did not need anyone else. Even with Harry's protests, Kaneki had decided that he did not want to get hurt, nor did he want to hurt anyone who got close to him. Above all else, Kaneki did not want to be like his mother.

And he had told the boy just that. He had said that he would hardly be a good friend. And even though his voice had wavered, Kaneki had been certain that he had gotten his point across clear as day.

But the boy had been insistent and Harry had declared that she liked him. And so, Kaneki had said yes. Not know at the time, that the boy would become such an integral part of his life.

x

Staring down at the grave, Kaneki felt a strange sort of emptiness. He could remember the times he had wished ill upon his mother, as he always seemed to do after particularly foul beatings. He wasn't certain how he felt now that she was gone. Relief perhaps? Fear of the unknown?

" **Nothing,"** Harry's voice echoed in his head, a bitter note to her tone, " **You feel nothing."**

And something about her tone made him believe exactly that. It was as though she spoke from experience, and she was correct. He felt nothing knowing that his tormentor was dead. And he found himself remembering the first thing that Harry had ever said to him. That quote about mother being God in the eyes of a child.

God was dead, and now it was just him. Just him and Harry, and it suited him just fine.

x

After his mother's death, and his aunt's abuse, Kaneki found comfort only in _her_ voice. And while Harry had never lashed out again, her voice had become somewhat of a sanctuary for Kaneki.

It had only been on his eleventh birthday that Kaneki had discovered that Harry wasn't just a voice in his head. He had been woken up in the middle of the night, and he had felt an almost unbearable desire for _something_. Rubbing his eyes, Kaneki had pushed himself up in his uncomfortable bed and whispered into the night, "Harry?"

He could all but feel her awaken in his mind, and he found himself sinking into the peaceful calm he associated with her.

Rolling out of the bed, Kaneki tiptoed out of his room and towards the bathroom, taking care not to wake up any of the other occupants of the house, not wanting to incur their wrath. Slowly locking the door behind him, he slid towards the mirror.

"Are you...real?" He asked his reflection.

He gazed at his own reflection for a moment before a sharp pain fired through his head and his hands shot out to grip the sides of the sink to steady himself. He was rocketed through memories that were not his own, but he saw them through his own eyes.

He saw letters flooding a home, and he saw his hands reaching for them. He saw flying motorbikes and ceiling that looked like the skies. He saw red hair and warm eyes that lit up when they met his own.

He wanted to see more, but the pain grew unbearable. And as it slowly ebbed away, all that could be heard was the sound of his heavy breathing. Raising his head slowly, he met his gaze in the mirror. But his eyes were not his own. Instead of the dark eyes he was used to seeing, a startling pair of emerald eyes stared back.

" **For now, I am whatever you need me to be."**

That had been the night that Kaneki learned that there were more than just Ghouls in the world. It had also been the night that Kaneki realized that if Harry was more than just a voice in his head, then he could lose her as well. And the thought itself horrified him.

x

Hide had been the first, and only person that Kaneki had told. It had been after Hide had confronted Kaneki's Aunt and recovered Kaneki's books for him without any fear of the consequences.

It had been that moment that Kaneki decided it didn't just have to be Harry and him, that he could have more. He had remembered Harry's happiness when he had come upon that decision and he had felt a flutter of pride in his chest for making her happy.

Hide had been supportive, could the boy be anything else? But Kaneki had always speculated that Hide didn't entirely believe him. At least, not until _that_ day.

It had started out as an average day, but of course, Hide's boisterous attitude had gotten him into a bout of trouble with a particularly foul mannered boy. And while Hide was only slightly roughed up, he had picked fun and insisted that " _If Harry was really magic, the least she could do was fix this up."_

Kaneki didn't remember much after that, but according to Hide, in that moment, Kaneki had changed _._ Like a projection, Kaneki's form had flickered, and Hide swore that Kaneki had given him a teasing smirk. Kaneki had accused him of lying, until Hide insisted that Kaneki's eyes had flashed a brilliant shade of green that had to be magic.

And while Kaneki found the description to be entirely ironic, he knew that what Hide had said was true. After all, he had seen those eyes in the mirror all those years ago. And so, Harry became the secret that tightened the bond between the two boys.

x

In the years that followed, Kaneki learned that Harry was capable of projecting herself and using her magic. He also learned that in moments where he was weak, she could take control of his entire being, and while the thought should have frightened him, he was comforted knowing that she would protect him.

Harry had warned him however, that the older he got, the weaker her tie to him became. That, as he developed, there was little room for her consciousness to co-exist with his. She had warned him that a time would come soon where she would no longer be able to help him. Until that time came however, she had advised him to distance himself from dangerous situations, because his fear might block her out entirely.

And even with everything wrong in the world, Kaneki decided that for now, he quite liked this strange existence. He was quite content ignoring the world, for he had made his own world. He had Harry, Hide and the pages of the books he loved so dearly.

X

"Are you even listening to me?" A loud voice asked, startling Kaneki from his pondering.

Snapping his eyes up, Kaneki was greeted by the face of his best friend, merely an inch away from his own. With a yelp, Kaneki pushed himself away from the table. The action caused the table to tilt towards Hide, spilling the contents of Hide's glass onto his lap and the floor.

" _Kaneki,_ " Hide sputtered, pushing the ice off of him and staring at the wet patch on his pants blandly. Grabbing some napkins from the table, Hide said, "Now it looks like I've wet myself. How am I supposed to pick up chicks now?"

Rolling his eyes at his friend's antics, Kaneki returned his attention to his book with a shrug, "It's not like you would have picked them up either way."

With an over exaggerated gasp, Hide cried, "Harry! How are you sitting idly by while I am being bullied?!"

Raising his head slowly, Kaneki could feel his eyes flashing green, as they often did when Harry used her magic. Even to this day, it felt incredibly strange, because even though the magic came from within him, Kaneki always felt that it wasn't _his_.

Regardless, along with the whispered ' **Tergeo** ' that echoed in his mind, the water was siphoned off of Hide, leaving him clean. And with a sniff, Kaneki mumbled, "Spoilsport."

Clean and content, Hide slid back down onto his seat and leaned closer towards Kaneki, a large grin on his face as he whispered, "What about the girl over there. She's cute, isn't she?"

Turning his head in the direction Hide was motioning towards, Kaneki found a girl with long blonde hair and large green eyes and he could feel his cheeks burning. He was reminded how his pretween years had been particularly embarrassing. Kaneki found it uncomfortable to consider anything other than platonic relationships, considering the fact that his mind was occupied by someone else, a female someone else (which had put him in numerous occasions where he wasn't quite sure if _he_ found the person attractive, or if Harry found the person attractive). And while there were people that Kaneki found visually pleasing, the thought of doing _things_ with someone was as equally horrifying for Kaneki as it was amusing for Harry.

"I guess," Kaneki stuttered, snapping his head away when the girl smiled at him.

Leaning back into his chair, Hide sighed, "Come on Kaneki, you can't be a hermit forever."

" **He's not wrong,** " Harry hummed in his mind, " **You know I won't be here forever."**

"Stop it!" Kaneki cried, closing his book and abandoning it on the table, knowing very well that he would not be done with this conversation any time soon, "She's not my type."

"You have a type," Hide snorted, grabbing Kaneki's drink and pulling it towards him, "That's rich."

Trying to wrestle the drink back from his friend, Kaneki forced down a blush and said, "I know a pulse is the only thing you look for in a girl, Hide. But some of us want something a bit more than just that."

"Whatever." Hide said, freeing the now empty glass and jumping from his seat. Throwing some money on the table for the two drinks he finished, he ran his hand through his hair and declared, "Well, I have to get back to class. See ya."

Watching him leave, Kaneki reached over the table and grabbed his book, flipping it open. This particular book was his favorite. He had found it in a used bookstore, or technically Harry had found it. He had glanced over it easily, until Harry had indicated her surprise at the book being in a _muggle_ bookstore.

Over time, the book had become worn and was falling apart, but Kaneki could not part with it. Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them was a book that reminded Kaneki that the world wasn't just humans and ghouls. It also became clear that wherever Harry was from, did not have the same Ghouls as Tokyo had.

It was only when he reached a certain passage regarding Ghouls as house pets, that he saw movement in the corner of his eye, followed by the sound of something hitting the floor. Glancing down, he realized that a boy had slipped on the pool of pink liquid on the floor by his table. Hide had forgotten to clean up his spilled drink.

"What the hell!" The boy hissed, rising to his feet. Ignoring his friend's laughter, he stomped up to Kaneki and demanded, "Are you stupid? Don't know how to clean your shit off the floor?"

Slamming his book shut, Kaneki turned slowly towards the fuming boy and said blandly, "I don't really care to discuss your bowel movements, but if they even slightly resemble the liquid on the floor, I suggest you see a doctor. Excuse me."

As Kaneki walked out into the brisk weather, he shushed Harry who was snickering. He had long ago learned that Harry was particularly snippy and after years, it had rubbed off on him. And he supposed he didn't really mind it all that much.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 1: Nature vs. Nurture

Kaneki was used to the extravagant dreams. His love of literature and Harry's memories fueled dreams woven from magic itself. He dreamt of dragons and castles. He dreamt of everything under the stars, and cherished all of them dearly. But the dreams that he held closest to him, were the ones that involved her.

The first time Kaneki saw Harry, he had been twelve. He had expected to dream of magic and duels, but instead he found himself surrounded by death. A suffocating darkness clung to every corner of the plane. A stream of magic wove itself around him, and fluttering in the stream were useless trinkets. They danced in the stream, drawing his attention. A broken pocket watch knocked into a small picture frame, sending it flying towards Kaneki.

His hands shot out to grasp the delicate looking frame before it hit the ground and shattered. It was a small palm sized golden frame, and inside it was an old crumpled picture of a man. The man looked familiar, a foggy memory from a long forgotten time, but Kaneki couldn't place it.

" **Kaneki,"**

Lowering the frame, Kaneki's gaze flickered around the darkness, his eyes squinting in an effort to find the owner of the soft voice. Somewhere in the distance, he caught sight of something ivory that shone against the surrounding blackness.

His feet moved on their own accord, shuffling towards the blur. When his eyes adjusted, Kaneki let out a yelp as a blush coloured his cheeks.

There, suspended in the air was a woman. A sickly colour, her skin was pulled taut and it looked as though her body was in a permanent state of rigor mortis. Her hair was dark and knotted, its length unclear for it melted into the surrounding darkness. But he paid no mind to her body, his gaze was fixated on her unseeing eyes. Her blank wide eyes were a stunning green that pierced through the darkness.

Harry.

"If you have a body, why are you with me?" He had asked, reaching out towards her.

Her familiar magic darted angrily from her body, engulfing his hand in a cold flame before it could meet flesh. The flame slid up his arm, swallowing his body and he was rocketed through her memories once more.

He saw a cloaked figure with a voice that shattered glass explaining that so long as her body remained unchanging, so would she. He felt her anger at being trapped in the timeless plane and her happiness when she learned to _jump_ for her body. He saw millions of lives passing by, and then he saw himself.

He saw himself crouched on the ground with his small hands thrown up, attempting to shield himself from his mother's blows. He saw his tear stained face and he heard his pleas. And he felt the warmth fill his chest as she forced his mother away.

Looking at her now, Kaneki felt a strange desire. She possessed him quite literally, but staring at her now, Kaneki wanted to possess _her._ He wanted to possess her power, and her strength, he wanted her confidence and her knowledge. And he knew that she had become blind in her adoration of him, and she didn't realize how deep his desires truly ran. He wanted to be everything that she was. Because without her, he was no one. He was Ken Kaneki, the boy that would be ripped apart by tragedy after tragedy and he could not stand for that.

-x-

Kaneki's home was a place that had always unsettled Hide. It was pristine and organized at all times, not anything like you would expect from a college student, even one as strange as Kaneki. It took Hide many visits until he realized that it was that same cleanliness that unsettled him so terribly. From the kitchen drawers to the shelves by his bed, everything was immaculate. It looked like a home from a magazine: neat and pretty, and completely void of all life.

It felt wrong to move a pillow or leave a dirty dish because it ruined that image that Kaneki maintained so effortlessly. Originally, Hide had assumed that Kaneki took great care in keeping his home spotless and tidy. However, the boy never seemed to mind when the first thing that Hide would do upon entering the home, was make a mess. In fact, a small smile would often tug at his lips and his eyes would glitter in amusement.

"Habit." Kaneki had said simply, when Hide had asked about the state of his home. Habit, because neither Kaneki or Harry were used to living in places they considered their own. And everyone knew that it was unacceptable to dirty someone else's home. They couldn't tell you the difference between a house and a home, and while they would admit that they did consider this to be _home_ , they couldn't possibly tell you why.

Dropping the groceries on the kitchen table, Hide slid towards Kaneki who was lounged on his bed with a book in hand. The boy was sitting cross legged on top of his brown comforter, which was void of a single wrinkle and the bed sheet beneath him was tucked tight enough to bounce a quarter off of it. And he looked completely at ease.

Hide would be the first to admit that Kaneki was strange. He would mull over everything before he spoke, and he was always aware of how his words would be received. He was kind and respectful, but in the sort of way that was beaten into you. Something you learned by habit, not nature. And, how could one forget the magical friend in his head.

But even with his odd mannerisms, Hide had been enthralled by the boy since the first time he saw him. He had held himself up with a confidence that felt alien to Hide, a confidence you found in adults, never children. Even though Kaneki had known from a young age that people tried to avoid him, and kids his age were put off by the way he acted, he never once let it bother him. He had gone through life content, and he had fascinated Hide so unbearably.

Because Kaneki was the first person that was never put off by anything Hide did and there was no doubt in his mind that Kaneki would stand by him no matter what.

Clearing his throat in an effort to announce his arrival, the blond asked, "Did you hear? The Binge-Eater attacked again."

Kaneki shrugged from his spot on the bed, not glancing up from the novel in his hands, "I did. Harry has taken an interest in Ghouls and sees fit to drag my attention to anything related to them. She finds it interesting how they differ from the ones in her past life."

 _Harry._

Hide always found it strange how comfortable Kaneki was with Harry in his head. His thoughts were never his own, something Hide couldn't imagine being comfortable with. However, he also couldn't imagine Kaneki without her.

Slipping down beside the bed, Hide hummed, "I forget sometimes that she wasn't always a part of you. Do you ever wonder what she looks like?"

Hide had expected the boy to say 'no', simply to add to his oddities. However, in that moment, Kaneki's usual guarded expression had fallen away to reveal true amusement. His eyes had crinkled when he laughed, Hide noted. Snapping the book shut, Kaneki snorted, "You are six years late with that question."

"What?!" Hide yelped revelling in his friend's amusement, flinging his body towards his best friend as he demanded, "Don't tell me you've known this entire time and you haven't said anything! What kind of best friend are you?"

Rolling his eyes at Hide's antics, Kaneki pulled the book towards his chest and shrugged, "I wasn't aware you were so concerned about her appearance."

"But is she cute?" Hide asked, his eyes sparkling before the light in his eyes fizzled away and he slipped back down the bed, "Nevermind. Kind of hard to be honest with her attached to you like a tumor."

" **Hide,"** Harry warned, sending a small stinging hex his way which made Kaneki smirk in amusement. A small yelp slipped past the blond's lips as he rubbed his arm slowly, and then they settled into a comfortable silence.

Hide leaned back against the bed frame, closing his eyes as he felt long thin fingers combing through his hair. The first time Kaneki had done that, Hide had slapped his hand away and demanded why the boy was messing up his _beautiful_ hair. But the startled look on his friend's face had made it obvious that it wasn't Kaneki who had done it.

It was Harry.

She had a habit of playing with Hide's hair, and Hide had come to enjoy the girl's attention. She possessed a softness that Kaneki himself did not possess.

At first, it had been difficult for him to differentiate between the two. However, over time, he had learned that the two were quite different.

Kaneki was introverted, losing himself in his literature. Over time, his weakness had caged his heart in an iron fortress. He was dead set on distancing people. He didn't care for company and could probably be content to spend the rest of his life in his room, away from humanity.

Harry was more outgoing...or perhaps that wasn't the word that suited her the best. Harry found it easier to ignore rules and knew no boundaries. She also had a hero complex, and when Harry liked someone, she would protect them with a horrifying fierceness.

And somewhere along the way, their personalities meshed together as well. But after years of being in their company, Hide could always tell whose presence was dominating at what time.

"Harry, do you have a last name?"

The boy behind him hummed, " **Potter.** "

-x-

Kaneki adored the rain, not the calm before the storm, but the storm itself. The skies would darken to a violent gray, and the thick dewy scents of Petrichor would blanket the area. From his window, over the pages of his books, he could make out only the tops of hundreds of umbrellas dancing under the rainfall.

The sound of rain falling harshly against the glass windows reminded him of the night many years ago when he first heard the voice in his head. It had been raining angrily, or perhaps he only imagined such an unforgiving storm because he associated it with his mother's wrath.

Kaneki had long learned that unlike his mother, storms were not unforgiving. Instead of laying waste, their harshness allowed the world to flourish. A beautiful violence, that welcomed life.

And perhaps that is why Kaneki adored the rain.

The sound of his phone vibrating against his side table drew his attention away from the window. Grabbing the phone, he glanced at the screen for a moment before slipping it into his pocket.

Standing up, he stretched his arms above his head and let out a groan before grabbing his jacket and making his way towards the door.

He glanced at the clear umbrella hanging by his door, pausing only for a moment before he pushed his way outside.

-x-

"Can you change the channel?" Hide asked the man behind the counter.

The man turned his attention away from the glass he had been cleaning, and towards Hide. His dark eyes seemed to dissect Hide for a moment before a friendly smile tugged up at his lips. Setting the glass gently upon the table, he leaned over the counter towards the blond and asked, "Not a fan of the news?"

Hide scoffed, running a hand through his hair awkwardly as he glanced at the tv screen. He was quickly tiring of the same topic that was broadcasted constantly. It was as though humanity could only function if they were constantly reminded of their vulnerability.

It baffled him how daft people could truly be. Years upon years of research had been done on Ghouls, and while there were things that evaded them still, one thing was an indisputable fact: Ghouls fed on human flesh. Still, any time a body was found, the public would act as though it were a startling situation.

"It's become far too recurring to be _news_." Hide explained, upon realizing that the bartender was waiting patiently for his response. He wanted to say more. He wanted to say how despicable it was that Ghouls were hunted down for something they could not control. But he had quickly learned that sympathy for Ghouls was not well received in this society, and so, he plastered a smile on his face and added, "Bit boring now."

"Hideyoshi Nagachika?"

Hide snapped his head to the side to see a woman. At first he was startled, women didn't usually approach him and she was older than the people that usually associated with him. She had dark hair that was pinned back in a no nonsense bun, and her eyes were the most vibrant blue he had ever seen. It was only when she smiled and her eyes crinkled, that he realized who this was.

"Akiyama-sama?" Hide asked hesitantly, and when the woman nodded, Hide beamed.

He had only met Akiyama Hikari a few times in his life, but he quite liked her. She had been one of the few people that Kaneki trusted, and she had never done anything to betray that trust.

"How are you?" She asked, sitting down on the seat next to him.

"Good." Hide laughed, running a hand through his hair as he did when he was nervous or uncomfortable, "Kaneki's good too."

Looking at him from over the rim of her cup, she asked, "And Harry?"

"Good." Hide said awkwardly, wiggling uncomfortably under her knowing gaze. Hide had learned that while she often wore the look, she wasn't analyzing him intentionally. It was simply second nature to her.

Hide eyed her for a moment before asking, "How are you?"

"Better. I had begun to worry when Kaneki stopped coming in." She admitted, running her finger around the rim of her cup as she seemed to stare through the boy beside her. A small frown on her lips as she trailed on, "I had wondered if perhaps…"

"He's strong." Hide declared, snapping the woman from her thoughts.

A fond smiled flashed on her face as she nodded, "That was never something I questioned. I'm glad. I have heard tales of patients who could not bear the weight of their emotional distress. Children who believed they had to hide..and it ate at them. Quite tragic really."

As she glanced at Hide slyly from the corner of her eye, Hide wondered why her words had adopted such an ominous tone. And her next words made him think that perhaps Akiyama Hikari was more than she seemed,

"Trauma can change children, like a wicked sort of magic. Don't you think?"

-x-

"Excuse me, is this seat taken?"

Sighing, Kaneki pulled his gaze from The Tales of Beedle the Bard, and turned his attention to the person who had spoken. She was pretty, with a mane of violet hair and bright eyes but there was something strange about her, and it unsettled him. He didn't want her near him.

Sparing a quick glance around the room, Kaneki cleared his throat, "No, but neither are the twenty other free seats."

Her eyes widened at the harsh tone the boy used. It was only when a frown tugged down her lips that Kaneki realized how rude he had truly been. It wouldn't have bothered him if she were a man, but Kaneki knew not how to associate with women.

"A-" Feeling his face heat up, Kaneki decided it was best to flee from the situation quickly. Plastering a false smile onto his face, he slipped the book into his bag. Angling his head at just the right angle that caused the light to reflect off of his eyes and give him an innocent look, he offered the woman a charming smile that seemed to stun her for a moment.

"Excuse me," Kaneki said, taking the moment to all but run out of the bookstore.

His embarrassed flush only intensified as he ran through the rain. He couldn't believe the way he had just acted. But something about the woman had repulsed him. While she had been beautiful and soft, something about her made the hair on his arms rise.

' **She was strange.'** Harry hummed, ' **Did you feel it?'**

"No." Kaneki tried, but even as those words fell from his lips, he couldn't deny that they tasted like a lie. But he supposed he wasn't used to associating with women, and perhaps that had simply made him uneasy.

As they passed by stores, Harry urged him to stop. Turning his attention towards a sign that said, HySy ArtMask Studio. It seemed quite unassuming from the outside, but Harry pleaded, and of course, he caved.

"Fine," Kaneki mumbled, ducking into the shop to take cover from the rain.

Glancing around the strange shop, Kaneki wondered why Harry had been so insistent on them entering. The shop was filled with unsettling masks that while disturbing, were quite beautiful as well. But there was something sinister to their beauty that refused to be ignored.

"Boo!"

Spinning around slowly, Kaneki stared blandly at the man pulling off a white sheet from over him. The man was heavily tattooed, and his eyes were hidden behind dark sunglasses, but there was something about him that made Kaneki wary even with his laid back appearance. Something like the woman from the bookstore but not as strong, something easier to ignore.

A small frown tugged at the man's lips at Kaneki's lack of a reaction but he didn't move from his position, crouched on the table top. His arms were balanced on his knees and he asked, "Is there anything I can help you with?"

"N-"

' **Why does he feel weird?'**

Kaneki wondered if he could ask him to reason with the voice in his head, but ultimately decided that it would make him look like a lunatic. However, it didn't seem as though this person was very concerned with how things _looked_ , considering his own strange appearance. Sighing in defeat, Kaneki simply rolled his eyes before shoving his hands in his pocket and humming, "I was just taking cover from the rain. I hope that isn't a problem."

"Not at all, have a look around," The man said, pushing his sunglasses higher up the bridge of his nose, "If you have any questions, give me a call. My name is Uta."

Nodding, Kaneki slid around the store. His eyes dragged over the strange masks and he questioned Harry's morbid fascination with this place. It was only when his eyes settled on some strange masks that resembled something from children's nightmares, that he felt as though he understood why they were so unsettling.

"Ghouls," Kaneki hummed pleasantly, "They remind me of Ghouls."

"Do they?" Uta's soft voice asked from right behind him.

It seemed that the man had no respect for personal space, and it annoyed Kaneki. Taking a step away from the man's overwhelming presence, he cleared his throat, "Beautiful but deadly."

Kaneki realized that this opinion wasn't exactly his own, he didn't care about Ghouls one way or another, however, it was Harry's opinion.

Scrunching his nose, he scrutinized the clown mask that hung before him. His eyes narrowed, and without realizing it, he drew at Harry's magic. The magic brushed delicately against the paint, and before he realized what had happened, the mask had shattered, sending chunks flying throughout the room.

Frowning, Kaneki bowed towards Uta and said, "I'm sorry."

He turned to rush by Uta, however before he could leave, long fingers curled around his wrist. Glancing down at the tattooed fingers, Kaneki said stiffly, "If you'll excuse me-"

"What just happened?" Uta asked curiously, his head falling to the side as he regarded Kaneki. When Kaneki made no move to respond, he shook his head and said, "I suggest not mentioning this to anyone. It might create some unwanted chaos."

The tone he used made Kaneki believe that it wouldn't be _unwanted_ in any manner. Not that Kaneki really cared what the stranger wanted. He was only concerned with what he wanted, and Kaneki wanted to leave.

Unlike him however, Harry found the man's warning humorous, and before Kaneki could advise against it, Harry spoke, " **Chaos is an old friend.** " followed by Kaneki adding, "But I will take care to remember your advice."

His eyes falling to the hand still curled around his arm, Kaneki gave his arm a slight tug, and when Uta did not release him immediately, Harry sent a light stinging hex his way. The lack of a reaction from the man made Harry anxious. It was Kaneki who confirmed her suspicion with one thought.

 _Ghoul._

Kaneki had always speculated that Ghoul skin would be similar to that of a Dragon. While not as resilient, it would require something stronger than _a stinging hex_ , to do any manner of damage.

"What did you say your name was again?" Uta asked pleasantly, unaware of Kaneki's inner turmoil.

" **Harry.** " Yanking his arm free, Kaneki bowed slightly towards the shop owner, "I apologize for any trouble I might have caused."

"Not at all," Uta hummed, "Do come back sometime. I would love to make you a mask."

Kaneki felt a smirk tug unwillingly at his lips as he considered the situation. And against his better judgement, he felt himself relax slightly. Scratching his chin, he gave a humorless laugh, "A mask would do me little good. I already have one I never take off."

"Don't we all?" Uta agreed, his eyes falling to the broken mask that had been left for him before making up his mind and insisting, "You can add a new one to your collection. Just incase any of the others _break_."

Eying him warily, Kaneki grabbed the business card held out towards him. Slipping it into his jacket pocket, he shrugged, "Thank you."

As he swept out of the store, Kaneki shoved his hands into his pockets and asked why they had just done that. Harry's response had been swift,

' **Curiosity.** '

Sniffing in disdain, Kaneki hummed, "We're wavering."

A weight pushed down on his chest when Harry didn't respond. She too had noticed that their bond was becoming weaker, and as a result, Harry's magic had begun to reject its host.

-x-

Drumming his fingers on the table, Kaneki's eyes followed the woman as she walked by him. Her mane of purple hair was pinned away from her face and a pair of red glasses sat on the bridge of a delicate nose, clashing with the violet of her eyes.

As though sensing eyes upon her, she turned her head to meet Kaneki's gaze and when he didn't shy away, she offered him a teasing smile. Kaneki found himself nodding towards her, before he returned his attention to his coffee.

So, if Harry's _feelings_ were right, the woman was also a Ghoul.

But she looked so normal.

"Kaneki?" A soft voice drew his attention away from the woman and towards the blond who had spoken. Hide, realizing he had his friend's attention, said, "I met Akiyama Hikari today."

Smirking, Kaneki asked, "Strange, isn't she?"


End file.
